How Rapid Research is Relevant for the Healthcare Industry

Authored by Novus Insights 10/08/2022

As the global healthcare climate keeps changing, the need for research has become more significant than ever before. Healthcare institutions continuously need fast feedback and actionable insights. The COVID-19 pandemic laid bare the vulnerability of healthcare infrastructure when faced with an unprecedented crisis. Decision makers in the healthcare industry were caught out by the pandemic as they struggled to come up with a formula to stem its rampage. In such instances, rapid research is a crucial tool that can help organizations to compress research timeframes and get hold of insightful findings in shorter periods of time. Let us take a look at how rapid qualitative market research is relevant for the healthcare industry.

What is rapid research?

First, we should have a clear idea of what rapid qualitative market research is. Rapid research involves short research timeframes, team-based research, participatory approaches, and iterative data collection and analysis. Most often, a rapid research company will employ different ways to conduct such research. For example, a rapid research agency can use rapid studies to inform a longer research campaign, with regular feedback flowing between the two efforts. Alternatively, rapid qualitative research can be initiated after a longer study to expand certain aspects of the previous study or seek clarification on specific matters. Rapid studies can also be deployed as individual study programs that aim to derive fast insights, enabling healthcare organizations to solve immediate crises or challenges.

The importance and relevance of rapid research in the healthcare industry

We all know that healthcare organizations rely on research programs that can inform accurate decisions. For that, they need actionable evidence, which can come in different forms. However, the biggest consideration when choosing a research program is the ability to come up with insights at the right time. All organizations need research data and insights to be available in time to contribute to the decision-making processes. The reality is that research programs take time, and with the constantly changing health priorities, health care organizations want to make important decisions quickly. This is where rapid research comes into the picture. The biggest advantage of rapid research programs is that they are flexible enough to deliver findings within a short timeframe.

Challenges of rapid research

Just like any other qualitative market research framework, rapid studies also come with certain challenges. One of the biggest challenges for rapid research is the cross-fertilization between certain approaches and a lack of consensus on terminologies. For example, there can be multiple definitions of the term “rapid”, as it can be “1-4 weeks”, “4-6 weeks”, or more. As a result, it is often a challenge to differentiate between the different approaches, although they use the same name. Some researchers also claim rapid research programs have certain methodological challenges, such as consistency in data collection and analysis, sampling biases, time available for critical reflection, and certain other time pressures as far as data access is concerned. However, after taking stock of all the challenges and advantages of rapid studies, it can be concluded that, when done correctly, rapid research can be quite beneficial for healthcare organizations. In short, its advantages outweigh the challenges.

Final word

Rapid research services can help healthcare companies to improvise their decisions and strategies and cope with changing circumstances. With the right research agency by your side, you can conduct relevant studies to make informed business decisions, that too, within short timeframes. When looking for seasoned rapid research support, look no further than Novus Insights. Being a leading global research company, we offer full research support and customized reports within competitive timelines to help you stay on top of your decision-making processes. For more information about our rapid research services, call +91 124 414 2292 or email contactus@novusinsights.com. You may also fill out our contact form, and we will get back to you at the earliest.